A new album and a national tour should have an artist feeling on top of the world. But when you’re a member of Young Money — home of Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Drake — no one could blame you if you were a bit nervous. Yet rapper Tyga seems to be at ease with his position at what is arguably hip-hop’s hottest label.
“I don’t think I ever really got lost,” he says. “Everyone just kind of learned from Wayne. I just use it as a chance to watch and grow.”
Resting easy — and hard work — seems to be the right course of action for the rapper, who is straight outta Compton. Since his 2008 debut album, “No Introduction,” a string of mix tapes has maintained the buzz. His collaboration with Chris Brown, “Fan of a Fan,” gave birth to “Deuces,” which netted a Grammy nod and helped the controversial R&B singer on the comeback trail.
Tyga’s newest project, sophomore album “Careless World: Rise Of The Last King,” released last week, is on track to crack 70,000 in first-week sales — not bad, considering an uncleared sample kept physical copies out of the stores. It’s an album that steps up his game while claiming a more diverse sound — Nicki Minaj, Nas and Maybach Music Group’s comeback king, Wale, are collaborators. But even with a massive hit like the anchor track “Rack City,” don’t expect Tyga to coast on his accomplishments.
“With my generation of fans you have to be consistent,” he says. “And that’s something that I like to do.”
